Word
hilarious
Phoneticshi·lar·i·ous, stress on the second syllable
US/hɪˈɫɛɹiəs/
UK/hɪlˈeəɹɪəs/
Definition
adj. extremely funny; something that makes you laugh out loud.
adj. extremely amusing or funny; as an extreme adjective, it is typically modified by 'absolutely' rather than 'very'.
Examples
“The comedian told a hilarious story about his cat.”
“We spent the entire dinner laughing because my brother's travel stories were absolutely hilarious.”
“The play's success relies on a series of hilarious misunderstandings that escalate until the final curtain falls on a scene of total chaos.”
Examples
simple
“The comedian told a hilarious story about his cat.”
contextual
“We spent the entire dinner laughing because my brother's travel stories were absolutely hilarious.”
complex
“The play's success relies on a series of hilarious misunderstandings that escalate until the final curtain falls on a scene of total chaos.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “hilarious” in context.
Verb
01. find the situation hilarious
“Although it was supposed to be a serious meeting, I found the situation hilarious.”
verb + noun + adj
02. sound hilarious
“The premise of the movie sounds hilarious, so I definitely want to see it.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. hilarious misunderstanding
“The plot of the play is based on a hilarious misunderstanding between two neighbors.”
adj + noun
04. hilarious story
“She told a hilarious story about her first day working at the bakery.”
adj + noun
Adverb
05. absolutely hilarious
“We watched a comedy special last night that was absolutely hilarious.”
adv + adj
06. downright hilarious
“The way he tried to mimic the teacher's accent was downright hilarious.”
adv + adj
07. genuinely hilarious
“It is rare to find a sitcom that is genuinely hilarious from start to finish.”
adv + adj
Usage
Usually functions as a non-gradable adjective; it is more common in spoken English and informal writing than in academic contexts.
Teaching tip
Learners often over-use 'very' with this word; remind them that 'hilarious' is already at the top of the 'funny' scale.
Pitfall
The movie was very hilarious.
The movie was absolutely hilarious.
Since 'hilarious' already means 'very funny', you should use 'absolutely' or 'really' instead of 'very' to add emphasis.
Real-World Examples
“The joke became even funnier when it sold for $6.2m, then hilarious when its buyer took a bite out of his purchase and swallowed it .” “Many of Hanlon’s best jokes are visual, providing hilarious reading for lap-sitters and early readers.” Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin hilaris (“cheerful”) + -ous, from Ancient Greek ἱλαρός (hilarós, “cheerful, merry”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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